Alabama White BBQ Sauce

Method

1. Add the mayonnaise to a medium mixing bowl and whisk it briefly on its own to loosen it before adding anything else, which helps everything blend smoothly.
2. Whisk in the cider vinegar in two additions, incorporating the first fully before adding the second, so the sauce does not separate or look curdled.
3. Add the prepared horseradish, coarsely ground black pepper, lemon juice, and sugar, whisking continuously until fully combined.
4. Whisk in the garlic powder, kosher salt, cayenne pepper, and Worcestershire sauce until the sauce is uniformly pale and speckled evenly with black pepper.
5. Check the texture: it should coat a spoon like a thin ranch dressing; if it looks broken or oily, whisk in another 1 teaspoon of vinegar to bring it back together.
6. Taste and adjust carefully, since this sauce is meant to be sharply peppery and tangy rather than sweet: add more black pepper for bite or more vinegar for tang.
7. Cover and refrigerate the sauce for at least 1 hour, and ideally 4 hours, before serving so the pepper and horseradish fully bloom into the mayonnaise.
8. Whisk the sauce again before serving, as some separation on standing is normal for a mayonnaise-based sauce.
9. Use it two ways: brushed onto smoked chicken during the last 5 minutes over indirect heat so it warms without breaking from direct flame, and served cold at the table for dipping and dunking whole pieces.
10. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week; do not leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours since it is mayonnaise-based.
11. If the sauce ever looks oily or separated after refrigeration, rewhisk vigorously rather than adding more liquid, which usually restores a smooth texture.